AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Brett Hits Home Run No. 300

Kansas City’s George Brett took another step toward the Hall of Fame with his 300th home run as the Royals beat the slumping Cleveland Indians, 7-3, Thursday at Cleveland.

The sixth-inning homer, Brett’s second this season, added his name to a select list--Hank Aaron, Stan Musial, Carl Yastrzemski, Willie Mays and Al Kaline--with at least 3,000 hits and 300 homers.

Hipolito Pichardo (3-1) gave up three runs in the first inning to the Indians. But Pichardo gave up only one hit over the next 6 2/3 innings before he was replaced by Bill Sampen following a brief eighth-inning fight.

Cleveland’s Albert Belle was ejected for charging the mound after Pichardo hit him with a pitch. Belle then swung several times at catcher Mike Macfarlane.

Matt Young (0-1) pitched 3 2/3 innings, giving up four runs on seven hits and four walks.

New York 4, Milwaukee 2--Jim Leyritz singled home the go-ahead run, then got into a bench-clearing incident with Kevin Reimer after the game ended at New York.

Leyritz entered the game when Don Mattingly suffered an injury to his left rib cage.

With two outs in the ninth, Reimer grounded to pitcher Steve Farr, who threw to Leyritz at first base for the last out. As Reimer crossed the bag, he grazed Leyritz, and they began yelling.

Players on the benches and in the bullpens rushed toward first base, and there was a lot of pushing, but no punching. As the Brewers left the field, fans got into shouting matches with the players, and security guards had to intervene.

Abbott (2-5) recorded his first victory in six starts. He gave up five hits in eight innings, struck out four and walked one.

Cal Eldred (4-4) took a 1-0 lead into the fifth but gave up four runs in the inning.

Texas 9, Oakland 5--Rafael Palmeiro’s sacrifice fly drove in the go-ahead run in the sixth at Oakland.

Edwin Nunez (0-2) pitched two innings, giving up four runs.

Matt Whiteside (1-0) retired two batters in the sixth and one in the seventh to get the victory.

Toronto 6, Detroit 5--Paul Molitor hit a two-out, two-run double in the ninth inning to lead the Blue Jays at Toronto.

Molitor and Joe Carter hit two-run homers to support the Blue Jays’ debut of Dave Stewart.

Darnell Coles drew a leadoff walk in the ninth from Bob McDonald (3-1), and two outs later, Molitor doubled to right field.

Tony Castillo (1-0) faced only one batter, retiring Mickey Tettleton on a fly ball with the bases loaded in the ninth.